Mimic
by Stark Contrast
Summary: A similar past and a common goal. It's brought them together, but will it also tear them apart? Erik/OC. X-Men: First Class movie-verse. Slightly AU.
1. In The Beginning

**A/N: Hello, all! This isn't my first fanfic, but I haven't written one in years so it kind of feels like my first one. So I'm very open to any and all feedback you have. Normally, I'm a devout Batman fan but I recently remembered how much I love the X-Men franchise.**

**Anyways, about the story. This takes place during X-Men: First Class and continues slightly after it. It will be somewhat AU, Im going to try to keep within the actual events of the movie as much as I possibly can. Also, I am aware that the 'present day' in the movie is in the '60's, which I will try my best to abide by, but you will find some references to things (mostly pop culture and fashion choices) that won't be very 1960. ****The rating will stay Teen for now but will go up to Mature in later chapters for obvious reasons. Oh, and, The Man In Black (AKA the head of the CIA Division X Facility) isn't credited with an actual name that I've found, so I just decided to call him Mr. Garber. If anyone knows otherwise, don't hesitate to let me know and I'll change it right away. It's mentioned in the disclaimer but I'll say it twice: if there are any similarities to the character or plot (outside the movie's) to another fanfic, it is entirely accidental.  
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**I think that's about it. Please Review and let me know how the first chapter is!**

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> **I own nothing of the X-Men or Marvel franchises, I am only entitled to the original character. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. I make no money writing this**.

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><p>"<em>Honey, please just get in," I heard the soft, yet worried voice of my mother. Her feminine brows were knit together, stress apparent on her face. <em>

"_But," I started, both confused and anxious. I knew something was terribly wrong. But I was too afraid of what might happen, what I knew could happen. _

_Before I could get out the rest of my sentence, my father came around the corner hurriedly, "Get in sweetheart, there is no time for debate. Please, just get in the bunker," He pleaded, his voice still firm, tone non-negotiable. _

_Reluctantly I climbed down into the secret compartment below our home, the house I grew up in and that held so many fond memories. Before they closed the door behind me, I looked up at them, not knowing it would be the last time I would be in their presence. _

_They looked down after me, my mother starting to tear up. Dad put a comforting arm on her, "Your mother and I love you dearly, never forget that. And never, ever let them find you."_

_I was barely able to shout an 'I love you' back before they shut the hatch to the bunker I was now in and the panel in the floor close after it, concealing the door completely. By now, I could not hold back the tears any longer. I put my hand over my mouth, hoping to quiet the sobs, not that it mattered, seeing as I was in a sound-proof room. I wasn't used to crying freely but I couldn't help it. After a few seconds of releasing some of the sadness and grief inside me, my brain kicked in and I made my way back up the ladder to the bunker hatch, setting the locks so no one would be able to get in even if they found the door. I climbed back down and slid down the wall, my body still shivering and letting out the cries. I took a second to wipe my eyes, clearing what tears were still built up and no doubt smudging my mascara even more. That was really the last of my problems at the moment. _

_I took a deep breath and stood up, albeit shakily, and turned to the left side of the room where there were 2 monitors. When my dad had the bunker built, he installed a security system throughout the house, a way to watch and listen to every room without giving yourself away. Bracing for the worst, I turned them on. My eyes, still slightly blurred my tears, I scanned the screens, spotting movement in the top right corner of the right monitor. I leaned forward to get a better look. My parents were in the living room, and they were not alone. It felt like my lungs quit working and my heart stopped as I heard voices come through the speakers. _

"_I will not help you," said the determined voice of my dad, "We will have absolutely no share in the destruction you want to bring into the world."_

_The other man, lean in stature with neat, brown and a suit on was pacing in front of my parents casually. "Tisk, tisk," he sighed in mock sorrow, "You would have been the perfect addition to our little project, Henrik. You aren't even going to fight back? What about your darling daughter? What was her name again," he tapped his chin pretending like he actually had to think about it, "Oh, right. You do realize that I will find your dearest Tavia one day, yes?"_

_My parents stayed silent, however my father moved so that he was in front of mom. But even I knew that, if this man was as evil and heartless as I was told, neither of them would get out of this alive. _

"_It's such a shame, siding with pathetic humans instead of helping liberate your own kind. It saddens me," he expressed, pausing, and shutting his eyes for a moment. When he reopened them, his face changed to one of wrath, "And, it absolutely disgusts me. Deal with them," he snarled through clenched teeth at his two henchmen. _

_My mother stifled a sob as my father, as brave as ever, held his head high as the men aimed their guns directly at their heads. I knew they could stop the bullets, but I also knew that they wouldn't. They would accept their fate, aware that fighting back or running would only cause more problems. _

_My hand flew up to my mouth again as I could no longer hold back from bawling. I muffled scream as they pulled their triggers._

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><p>I shot up in bed, grasping the sheets to my chest and breathing heavily. For a few minutes, that's all I could do. Breathe in, breathe out. I repeated that in my head until I felt my heart rate slow and my mind calm itself. I extended my hands to my face, rubbing my eyes then moving them to my temples and rotating my movements to further release stress. I thought, after years of having the same nightmare almost every night, I would be used to it by now. Apparently not.<p>

I took another deep breath, and glanced around my tiny, yet cozy bedroom. Nothing looked broken or destroyed this time. This was a good thing. Sighing, I  
>flipped off my duvet and climbed out of bed, taking a moment to stretch. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the clock on the end table next to the bed.<p>

6:50 AM

_Wonderful_, I thought to myself, _I overslept. Something tells me this isn't going to be the greatest day._

I made my way to the bathroom to have a quick shower, the steam and warm water soothing me from my unnerving dream. Before I could get too relaxed, however, I turned off the water and wrapped a large, teal towel around my body. As fast as I possibly could, I blow dried my light brown hair, giving it volume at the roots but smoothing out the ends that had a touch of gold in them from the sun. I went light on the makeup today, mostly due to time constraints. Stepping out of the bathroom, I walked back into my room and headed straight for the closet. Normally, I would take my time to mull over what to wear, but today that would not be happening. I promptly decided on a dark grey pencil skirt, with a matching blazer and a yellow blouse with a bow on the collar in the front. I pulled out some tall, skin colored pumps to finish off the look, making my legs look longer than they actually were. I grabbed my purse, keys and files for the day off the counter, did one last once over in the mirror and left my apartment.

The commute to Langley felt longer than usual, but I knew that was only because of the fact that I was running late. But, with roughly 5 minutes to spare, the CIA headquarters came into view. As I parked my car in the underground staff parking and made my way to the building's employee entrance, feeling small surges of energy flow in me as I got closer to people. More specifically, other mutants. I couldn't exactly point out who else was like me in this busy establishment, and I was in no place to let my secret out either.

I maneuvered through the busy halls of the building, filled with office professionals, technicians, security personnel, field agents and the like. Most of them were far from the James Bond type that the public likely imagined. At long last I arrived at my office. Or should I say my boss's office. I wasn't just a regular desk jockey, no. I had the privilege of being of being one of the executive's assistants. Mr. Garber actually wasn't that bad to work for in all honesty. In fact I knew he was even aware of the mutant presence in society. He didn't know I was one of them, but he didn't seem appalled by the thought, but rather, he seemed intrigued. It gave me a small sense of security that I haven't felt in a very long time.

I reached my desk, placing the manila folders on the side neatly and looked over the schedule for the day. Nothing terribly exciting, it seemed. Mr. Garber wasn't even expected to get in for another hour and that was only because he and some of the other big wigs, including the Director of the CIA, were having a meeting with some professor from Britain, a mister Charles Xavier and guest. _Never heard of him,_ I shrugged and carried on with my work.

About 45 minutes later, while I was utterly absorbed in my work, a girl came striding into the room looking anxious. I most likely wouldn't have noticed her if she hadn't come racing up to the front of my desk. I flicked my eyes upwards without moving my head to see a woman that I vaguely recognized. Moira I believe her name was, and if I remember correctly she just got promoted to a field agent.

"Can I help you?" I asked raising an eyebrow slightly.

"Is Mr. Garber in yet?" she inquired slightly out of breath.

"Um, no not yet, he should be here soon though. Anything I can help you with?"

She frowned, though just a touch, and looked over her shoulder for a quick second, holding up one of her fingers to 2 people that stood waiting a few feet  
>behind her. "I'm just supposed to meet with him and a couple more of the executives soon. I am somewhat aware of his particular expertise and was hoping I could ask him for a few pointers."<p>

I nodded, becoming aware of an all too familiar feeling. There was a telepath currently in the room. I allowed him into my mind but just for a quick moment, signaling he wasn't alone. The brown haired fellow squinted at me, followed by shooting a knowing, accepting look. Within a minute, I blocked my thoughts once more.

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><p>Sebastian Shaw sat in a regal looking sofa, inside the luxurious penthouse he was currently staying in. He had one foot casually resting on the matching ottoman in front of him, his head resting in one hand while the other was holding a glass complete with ice and a few ounces of the finest aged, amber-colored scotch. He quietly sighed as his eyes darted around the room in boredom. His endeavours lately had been rather successful, scaring poor Colonel Hendry out of his wits, making him a malleable, yet disposable, part in his plans. He didn't have to depart to the east coast until later tonight and for the first time in a long time, he had some time to kill. And while the thought of killing anything usually excited the man, his restlessness was starting to get the better of him.<p>

That was, until she walked in the room. He looked up at the tall, gorgeous blonde, whom he was also growing bored with, a mixture of annoyance and mild curiosity plastered across his features.

"I found her." Three rather simple words that she knew would catch his interest, "She's back in Virginia."

Shaw sat upright, a menacing spark lit up his eyes, "What's she doing back there? How did you find her, Emma?"

"She let her guard down, only for a moment, though. Just enough for me to get her general location, but no more," she stated, matter-of-factly, although she was a tad bit afraid of Sebastian's impending reaction to her minor amount of knowledge.

To her surprise, he kept grinning, "Looks like we have more business on the east coast then we originally thought. We will visit Hendry in Miami first, then take the small trip up north" he chuckled lightly and Emma quirked up one side of her mouth in pride. Shaw rubbed his hands together in excitement before exclaiming in a creepy, melodic voice, "I'm coming for you Tavia!"


	2. A Funny Thing

**A/N: Hello again! I want to give a big thanks to everyone that has read the story so far, especially to those that have added it to their story alerts or reviewed. It means the world to me and gives me so much motivation to keep going, so please don't stop!**

******If the name change of the OC is confusing to you in this chapter, don't worry! It will be explained in the future. The story begins in the wonderful Erik's point of view.**

**Hope you enjoy! And don't forget to review :) There's a nice shiny quarter in it if you do. And by quarter, I mean a heartfelt thanks.****  
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><p>The air was humid, although breezy thanks to the costal winds coming from the Atlantic. Visiting this sub-tropical place was a small perk in my mission but in all honesty, I preferred the brisk air of Germany. But, this was business that demanded urgency. I took a brief gander at my watch, concluding that if I left now I would probably have perfect timing on my arrival. <p>

Rising from my hotel room bed, I waltzed over to the petite desk in the room; my shirt was hanging carelessly over the matching chair in front of it. I tossed the white article of clothing on my torso, smoothing out any wrinkles in the material once it was on. I also put on a white Fedora and draped a light beige jacket over my shoulder. There was a small piece of paper on top of the desk that I grabbed before heading out of the hotel and into the town. 

There was no denying that Villa Gesell was a beautiful place. Green hills, a mountainous backdrop and a variety of beaches made this place a tourist hotspot, and I could see why. But before I could get too enamoured with the scenery, I looked at the paper in my hand. On it was an address to a small pub a couple miles from my current location. 

Rather than hailing a cab, I decided to walk. It wouldn't take too long and it would give me time to ponder my plan of attack. I was well aware that Klaus Schmidt may very well not be in Argentina anymore, in fact I was banking on it. All I needed was a lead on where he was headed next. Of course if Schmidt was there, it would be an added bonus, and I was prepared just in case.

Roughly 20 minutes later I saw the structure I was searching for. I entered through the front door; nonchalantly hanging up my jacket and hat as well as briefly acknowledging the other two men seated in the pub, and took a seat right at the bar. After ordering whatever was on tap, I glanced over to my right, noticing a picture hanging on the wall. In the centre of the photograph was none other than Klaus Schmidt with two other men, one on each side of him. The other men in the picture were coincidentally the 2 other patrons in the tavern. Below the photo were 2 words that made me smile on the inside: Casparatina, Miami.

I peeked over my shoulder at the two men behind me, chatting unconcernedly in German. Little did they know, I didn't plan to let them out of this pub alive. 

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><p><em>So this is why the new Professor is here, <em>I mused with a smirk. He caught my eye briefly and mirrored my expression. But before he could read my face, I changed my train of thought and answered the confused looking agent in front of me.

"Well perhaps I am able to help after all," I mentioned, trying to put a plan together in my head. Moira looked at me expectantly. "I realize I can't really attend the meeting with you, otherwise I could help even more. My best advice is that the Director is not easily impressed, and that's an understatement. I would consider waiting before revealing your, um, proof to them about the subject."

The brunette gasped, "Wait… Are you," she stammered, unsure, "Are you one of them too?"

I gave a knowing smile, and put a finger up to my pursed lips, "Shh," I gestured with a playful wink. I saw Charles and his lady guest grin. "No, but seriously, please don't let that get out. Even Garber isn't aware of it and he's the friendliest to the paranormal, if you will. Anyways, I highly doubt that the Director and his closer companions will be too thrilled with your presentation. Garber on the other hand, will most likely be fascinated. He has a lot of pull and power, too. So, I wouldn't worry too much," I reassured Moira, who exhaled in relief, "I think you've got this one in the bag."

Moira finally smiled, "Thank you, I will let you know how it turns out."

I chuckled lightly, "Somehow, I don't think you'll have to."

She nodded and, with impeccable timing, the Man In Black himself came into the office. "Ah, Miss MacTaggert! Good to see you, please show yourselves to the boardroom, the meeting will begin in just a couple minutes," he instructed with genuine warmth. "And as for you Ms. Taylor," he directed his attention towards me, "I need you to cancel my all my meetings tomorrow, I need to be at the facility all day."

I replied with a mannerly, "Yes, sir," and resumed my work, but not before shooting Moira and her company a grin when Garber turned his back.

Between the phone calls necessary for rearranging Garber's agenda, I spent my time tapping into the Director's head covertly, getting a grasp on how things were fairing in the conference room. From what I was getting, it wasn't going over too well. McCone was skeptical at best and by the time the Professor was finished his presentation, not only bored, but also slightly irritated by, what he thought, was a complete waste of time.

Using my recently acquired telepathy, I continued to listen in on the meeting, fearing that it would get worse before it got better. I was right. First, it was suggested that Moira got out of the field and back to being a simple desk jockey. Charles nobly tried to, not only preserve Moira's reputation, but also get his point across. The next thing I knew, the Director was raging, accusing Xavier of being a Russian spy. I hung my head in despair. _Not the best move on the Professor's part_, I thought to myself in the midst of all the yelling I could hear in the room.

I had deemed the entire meeting a lost cause when something even I (nor the rest of them I assume) expected took place. Silence fell upon the room as Xavier's guest suddenly had the appearance of the man sitting on McCone's right, William Stryker. _Fascinating, _I thought, _a telepath and a shape-shifter._

After the shock of the girl's abilities wore off a little, she transformed into what I can only guess was her original form, which added a hint of fright into the CIA leaders. Blue was not a by any means a natural skin colour.

While I was impressed at their bravery for exposing their abilities to some of the most powerful people in the United States, I had a sneaking suspicion these top agents wouldn't have the most accepting mindset. And I was right. The Director wanted them detained until they were able to come up with a plan as to what to do with the ,mutated beings in front of them. I shook my head in a disappointment. If there is one thing that mankind was notorious for, it was being afraid of the unknown. And I wouldn't put it past these chief political and military executives to experiment on these superhuman ones until they either figured out how to reverse the mutation or ended up killing them in the process. Though, disturbingly, I feared the latter would happen first.

But then, as I was listening through the Director's ears, I heard a recognizable voice pipe up, "My facility is off-site. I'll take 'em."

An inward smile filled my soul. Of course Mr. Garber would take the mutants under his wing. The rest of the board seemed to agree after quiet deliberation. I took that as my cue to leave the Director's head and start concentrating on work. No doubt, Garber would be in here soon

I found that I was right again, my boss striding into the office no more than 10 minutes later with the Professor and his lady friend, who I noticed, had gone back to her model-like blonde disguise.

"Mia, I need you to clear up the rest of my schedule for the day, and possibly for the rest of the week. I need to take these fine individuals to the facility."

I smiled graciously, "Right away, sir," I complied, flashing the other two in the room a knowing grin. Professor Xavier put a couple fingers up to his temple, and I guess that was how he tapped into others minds. Unfortunately, I didn't let my guard down with him this time. It was too risky for me. I spotted him frown briefly, respectfully nod his head once, and follow Mr. Garber out of the room. Promptly, I made a few phone calls, apologetically cancelling my superior's appointments for the rest of the day.

After the more pressing matters were out of the way, I let out a small sigh. There was no question I was happy for the two mutants that had just made known the existence of our kind, and did so with an amount of success. Part of me wished that I had been in the room with them, that I helped get the ball rolling. But I knew the extreme amount of danger that would out me in, more so than the rest. Shaw already had a target on my back, even though I had been hiding for nearly a decade. And I was aware now, thanks to Moira's findings, that the CIA was aware of his threat to humanity. I couldn't help but hesitate at the thought of, after all these years, putting myself directly in Shaw's line of sight. _Maybe he doesn't even remember me, _I laughed at the thought. Of course he would remember me.

For the last 2 years I had found some kind of security working for the CIA, one of the most secure locations with an airtight data base. But that didn't stop Shaw from finding my father. My heart sank at the memories that I forced myself to stop thinking about before I could become too upset.

I shrugged off the emotions, attempting to keep my thought process logical and realistic.

I was quite certain… No. I was absolutely convinced that the whole reason Sebastian Shaw had yet to come after me was because I able to become invulnerable to telepathy, meaning that neither he nor any of the telepathic mutants he kept company with could locate me, or even be certain I was still alive.

Then it dawned on me. From what research I have done over the years, the Country's secret agent force would be no match for Shaw, especially if he also had the Russians on his side. My best bet for, not only keeping safe, but having any shot at bringing Shaw's reign of terror to an end, would be to join other mutants.

Without needing any further reasoning, I was on my feet, walking speedily towards the staff parking where I was sure the group would be heading right about now. Making my way as fast as I could through the still busy halls, I opted to take the stairs. Elevators were terribly annoying when you're in a rush. I was practically catapulting myself through the stairwell before I finally reached the 3rd floor, where I knew Garber's parking spot was.

To my slight alarm, I saw his car had just barely pulled out of its spot, the Professor appearing to be convincing Garber to get in. I knew I didn't have another second to lose as I started a half run towards the car.

"Wait!"


	3. Search & Destroy

**A/N: Hello everyone! I would like to start of by saying thank you so much for reading everything so far! I'm extremely happy people like it and am kind of awe of how many hits/alerts there have been. I would also like to give a special shout out to Valkyrie-Pleasant and OWLSCRATCH for reviewing the first 2 chapters. Your comments make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside :3**

**This chapter is a bit shorter, but it does explain a bit more about the character, so hopefully that will make up for it. And just you wait til the next chapter ;)**

**One more quick lil' thing. I still don't have a beta so if anyone is interested let me know!**

**Enjoy everyone!  
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><p>"Mia," I heard Garber say in shock, "What on earth are you doing here?"<p>

I had managed to jog up to the car, leaving me temporarily fatigued, but mostly because I was in 4 inch heels. "I want to come with you."

My boss looked even more surprised, "What? Why? You've never even been out to my facility."

"I know that, Mr. Garber, sir," I took a breath, flicking my eyes briefly over to the Professor who was also standing outside of the car, "But, I think, all things considered, it would be advantageous for me to go along with you this time."

The man dressed in black eyed me quizzically, "What do you mean?"

Before I could answer, the young Professor interrupted me, "What she means, is that she's a mutant like us."

My boss's eyes grew wide and I crinkled my nose somewhat, not terribly enthused with how blunt Xavier had been.

"Mia? I would have never guessed! You seem so… So normal," the man exclaimed.

I raised an eyebrow, "Um. Thanks," Uncertainty apparent in the upward inflection in my voice. "So, does that mean you'll let me come with you now?"

"Oh, yes, yes, of course," he agreed as he moved aside, allowing me to take a seat in the middle, between him and the Professor's female comrade. I slid into the backseat, moving as close to the girl as I could, trying hard not to make it more awkward than it already was. Fortunately for both of us, the Professor decided to take the backseat with us, instead of making us squish uncomfortably. The doors were shut and Moira shifted into gear, propelling us slowly forward.

A hand was extended to me, coming from my right, "I do not believe we have been properly introduced. I'm Charles Xavier."

I accepted his hand, giving it a welcoming shake, "You can call me Mia,"

"Oh and next to you here is Raven," Charles explained as I turned my head in the opposite direction to face her.

She was smiling warmly, "Nice to meet you."

"You as well," I told her with sincerity, also shaking her hand.

The car was silent for some time as we headed towards the highway. There was a small request on my mind but I didn't really want to impose. "Would it be possible," I spoke tentatively, "To make a quick stop by my place so I can grab a few things?"

"Well, under different circumstance that would be doable," Moira was the first to answer, "But we have to get to Florida right away. The jet is already ready and waiting for us."

I frowned out of confusion. No, I hadn't been to Garber's private facility before, but I knew very well that it wasn't in Florida, "Why are we going there?"

Garber was the first to reply this time, "We managed to get the current location of a man named Sebastian Shaw. He has private yacht in Miami. I already contacted the Coast Guard there; they will be taking us out to where he's docked."

I swallowed hard, my throat instantly becoming dry the second he mentioned Shaw's name. My breathing stopped for what felt like an hour but, in reality, was probably only a few seconds. I snapped out of it, trying desperately to gain composure. Sure, I trusted these people enough to bring me right to the man that was the reason for my parent's death, but I didn't trust them enough to tell them about that just yet. Hell, I didn't like thinking about it, let alone talk about it to strangers. So, I simply nodded and the rest of the car ride remained silent. I think Charles was acutely aware of my internal distress, and I would bet money that he was trying very hard to read my mind. After a couple minutes, though, he let out a quiet sigh and I would assume he had given up.

The journey to the private airport only lasted another 15 minutes or so, and as soon as we arrived we were ushered right onto the private aircraft. Within what seemed like no time, the door was locked, the wheels were up and we were taking off. With my mind almost completely distracted by the notion of meeting Shaw tonight, most of what was going on seemed like one big blur. I was slumped in one of the cream coloured chairs, my head resting in the palm of my hand. My eyes were unfocused, as I stared off outside the cabin window, deep in thought. I was so consumed with the panicked thoughts and anxious ideas that I didn't notice Charles come sit directly across from me.

"Are you alright?" The soft, British voice asked, making me gasp, startled out of my daze. He must have noticed that he surprised me, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause you any distress."

I took a few deep breaths, calming myself down "It's alright. I just spaced out there for a bit. Didn't even realize you sat down," I confessed, with nervous, half-hearted chuckle.

He gave a comforting smile in return, "It happens to all of us, at one time or another. Do you mind if I ask what was on your mind? Forgive me, but I've tried to get inside your head, but I can't for the life of me," he added coming off more humorous than creepy.

"Yes, well, while some might find that a little unnerving," I told him smugly, "I know telepaths can't help themselves sometimes."

He laughed, "True, very true. So are you a telepath yourself then?"

"No, not exactly. I am just able to block them from invading my head."

The professor made a meditative humming sound, "Interesting. So what is your mutation then exactly?"

"Well," I paused, trying to think of the right words to describe it, "Basically I can sense another mutant's ability and be able to copy it, and use it myself."

Charles sat forward, his expression oozed wonder and curiosity, "That is absolutely fascinating. So you can do just about anything, then?"

I sighed, knowing the downside to my capabilities, "Kind of. You see, the effects are only temporary. I can only hold onto the power for about a day."

He nodded thoughtfully, "That truly is something else, though. What triggers being able to harness someone else's gift, do you know?"

"I just have to be near them. I haven't exactly measured but I would say I need to be within a 10 foot radius or so. I can go for a stroll through the park and come home with a variety of new abilities. I can tell when I've picked up a new mutation, but the problem is I can rarely perceive what the abilities are."

There is a wide grin plastered on his face, "You realize that with the proper training, the possibilities of what you're capable of is practically limitless?"

I nodded with a half-smile. I suppose I had never really thought about it that way. In fact, I would always grow frustrated, not always being able to know what I am able to do any given moment.

Charles and I made eye contact, and he seemed to be reassuring me. There was a faint feeling in me, one that I hadn't felt in a long time. Hope.


	4. Hello

**A/N: Hey there champs! Thanks again for all the story hits and alerts/favorites. Just a little warning for those Raven/Mystique fans out there, for future reference, I am going to be playing up her faults for the sake of the storyline and plot. Just thought I'd give you the heads up for future chapters.**

**I still would appreciate a beta if anyone is interested!**

**Also, if there are any fellow fashion lovers that read this, I have started posting links on my profile to the Polyvore account I set up specifically for my fanfics. Each link corresponds with what I had in mind for any outfits mentioned throughout the story, as well as who I kind of imagined the OC to look like. So, feel free to take a look at that if you're interested. But if you'd rather leave it up to your imagination, that's fine by me too :)**

**Fun Fact: I have been writing this entire story on my computer in a font called 'Magneto'**

**Don't forget to keep the reviews coming! Enjoy!****  
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><p>Immediately after my 'meeting' with the gentlemen in the Argentina tavern, I took a cab to the nearest airport. As I entered the small building I noticed it was nearly empty. I expected for a tourist hotspot for the place to be filled with vacationing rich folk, but that was not the case. Strolling up to middle-aged, female attendant behind the only desk, I politely asked in Spanish for a seat on the next available to Miami, Florida. <p>

"El próximo vuelo sale dentro de media hora, señor (the next flight leaves in half an hour, sir)," she replied.

I booked the seat, giving her a wad of cash to pay for the airfare. The airport was so undersized there were no gift shops or restaurants, just a few simple vending machines and some chairs. I took a seat in one, placing my modest carryon bag next to me. I hated being this bored.

I let my mind wander, first remembering the events that had already taken place today. Watching those wretched Nazis scream and tremble. I smirked at the thought. If only they knew the pain and terror their comrade, Schmidt, had put me through those years ago. The torture, the experiments, my mother... Those two didn't actively participate in the torment I personally faced, but I had no doubt in my mind they had known about it. They probably enjoyed hearing tales of my agony. Sick bastards, they all were. Had I not been under time constraints I would have made sure their suffering was slow and excruciating. They deserved no less.

Schmidt was my first priority, however. He never stayed in one place for long; I needed to get to Miami. I needed revenge.

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><p>By the time we arrived in Miami, it was already dark out. The rest of the trip had been uneventful. I even managed to get a few minutes of sleep in before Charles nudged me to wake up.<p>

As I looked around, it became obvious that we had landed directly at the Coast Guard base. A rather tall fellow was waiting for us as we stepped off of the plane. He introduced himself, though I didn't hear a word he said as a massive shiver coursed through my entire body. The air certainly got chillier at night, especially near the ocean and I was nowhere near dressed for the occasion. The coast guard seemed to notice, he informed us that we would need to change before we headed out.

He escorted us to a nearby building, explaining that they succeeded in locating Shaw's yacht; it was docked about 20 minutes away from the base. We got inside the base and I instantly felt a bit warmer.

"Alright," the guard started, "So are all of you coming out on the water?"

Raven and I were quick to nod yes, but Charles seemed to have other ideas, "No, you two would be much safer here."

"But Charles," Raven whined.

"No," Charles replied, his voice noticeably firmer, "Absolutely not. I highly doubt we'd need your skills out there anyways."

She crossed her arms, glaring at the Professor before rolling her eyes and giving a small huff.

This made me a bit more hesitant to speak up now, and I almost didn't, unsure if I was ready to face that evil man so soon. My impulses got the better of me though. "Um," I voiced nervously, "I think I could be of some help out there."

Raven looked at me incredulously but I ignored it. I kept my eyes on Charles, hoping he would somehow be persuaded in letting me come along.

He still wasn't answering when Moira spoke up, "We could use the extra help, Charles."

Apparently Moira vouching for me was enough to make Charles come to a decision, "Fine." The little word earning much protest from Raven, who Charles still insisted stayed on shore.

I smiled, thankful for his affirmative choice, even though the knots of anxiety in my stomach were almost becoming unbearable. _I can't run from this forever. _

The coast guard took that as his cue to interrupt, leading Moira, Charles, Garber and I to some change rooms where we could dress into more appropriate attire. The all-black ensemble was made of dense fabrics, what I guessed was a wool blend. The outerwear was waterproof and apparently buoyant; much better than wearing a bulky life vest, in my opinion.

The 4 of us were then quickly ushered onto a large water vessel, all crew ready to ship out as soon as we were on deck. The boat took off from the dock and I watched the shore for as I could keep it in view. The outline of the structure disappeared within a couple minutes; the only trace of its existence from this distance was the faint glow of the lights both inside and out, but that too became undetectable shortly.

The other 3 were to the side of me the entire time, discussing the plan of attack. Whether we were actually going to physically engage in fighting or not, I wasn't sure; I had zoned out during that part of the conversation, I suppose. Not really caring to jump into whatever they were speaking, I stared straight ahead. We were all standing at the front of the ship, right on the deck. I had never been one to get seasick, but I kept a firm grip on the handrail anyways, able to feel the cool mist spray up from the ocean below.

Gazing out onto the dark waters was almost soothing, in a rather eerie sense. My entire life I was brought up to play it safe, to never get too close to whom or what you didn't know. And now here I was, teetering on the edge of the perilous unknown. I'm not just referring to what things could lay beyond the surface of the sea, or what dangers might be in the seemingly infinite blackness in which the boat was heading into now. No, what was most uncertain now was the future. For once in 8 years I stepped out of my comfort zone; it wasn't exactly a small step either. Any minute now I would be within eye shot of the maniac that killed my family, and I put myself here willingly, after all this time spent doing the opposite. I gulped, trying to swallow the nervousness building up in my body. There was no turning back now, and as far as I could tell, putting on a brave face was the best course of action.

All of a sudden, I felt the boat slow drastically, snapping me out of my thoughts. One of the coast guards alerted, saying another ship came up on their radar a little less than a mile away. The spotlights on the ship had yet to be turned on, giving our ship cover as we crept up further. Sure enough, we all spotted the nicely lit up yacht ahead. We weren't able to distinguish any figures on the vessel, but I knew in my heart that it was Shaw.

There was a lot of hushed commotion going on, teams getting ready to take some of the smaller ships out to the yacht. The 4 of us still standing on the deck were quiet, though I noticed Charles put his fingers up to his temple, eyebrows knit together in concentration. Abruptly, all three smaller boats launched forward, the spotlights turning on simultaneously.

I heard Charles groan in what sounded like frustration next to me, "They have a telepath with them. I- I can't get a read on them, in fact I can actually feel them inside my head," he looked over at Moira and Garber apologetically, "I'm sorry but I don't think I will be of much use tonight." He then turned his attention towards me, "Are you able to block them from your mind?"

I simply nodded my head, distracted by what I was seeing take place in front of us. Cyclones generated out of thin air, being hurled towards the 3 Coast Guard crafts. The mutant-produced storms caused all of them to be pitched backwards.

"We need to take cover," came the urgent call of the professor as he swiftly steered Moira and I below the deck. Moira was the first to duck into the stairwell, descending the steps hurriedly, followed by me with Charles right on my tail. Unexpectedly, I felt a surge of energy run through my body and I stopped dead in my tracks.

"Mia, what in the devil are you doing?" Charles demanded.

I spun around, trying to get past Charles in the narrow space, "There's someone else out there in. He's in the water."

Charles turned his head around, still being able to see out to the water from where he was. He didn't make a sound, just ran back up the stairs, with me hot on his tails. The sight made me gasp. The yachts anchor was being suspended in the air and within seconds was launching itself towards Shaw's boat. _There is another person out there, in the water, _I thought to myself, almost surprised that I was right. And not only was I right, but he seemed to have a similar intent as us. The massive chain wrapped itself around the ship opposite us, crushing it ultimately from top to bottom.

My mouth hung open in astonishment as, in what seemed like mere seconds, the ship had sunk completely out of sight. I rushed over to the edge of the deck, leaning over the rail to get a better look of the bright light coming from underneath where the yacht had been anchored. _The bastard, _I cursed, instantly recognizing the glow being of that of a submarine.

A muffled yell from Charles made me snap my attention away from the dissipating submarine, as I him run and dive overboard. I dashed over to the port side of the ship, trying to keep an eye on Charles, but it was useless, the dark water swallowed him.

Moira came beside me, "What happened?"

"Charles jumped off the ship. There's another person in the water, a mutant."

The 2 of us watched the waves closely, keeping our fingers crossed. A moment later 2 heads popped up to the surface, their gasps for breath clearly audible.

"I'm going to go fetch some blankets," Moira offered as I heard her footsteps hurry off.

I, on the other hand, was already at the top of the ladder that ran down the side of the ship. I could hear raspy, out of breath voices but couldn't make out any words. They tread water until they caught their breath, then Charles directed the other man over to the ladder. Fortifying myself but keeping one hand tightly clutching the rail, I tilted as far as I could down, extending my other hand to help the stranger up.

Soon enough, a wet hand was in mine as I guided the unknown man up to the deck. I heard the lighter, more feminine footsteps of Moira behind me as she greeted the man, draping a blanket over his wet shoulders. I leaned back down the ship again, this time offering assistance to Charles, which he accepted with thanks.

I looked at the sopping wet men in front of me, wrapping themselves as tightly as they could with the blankets Moira had given them.

"Come on, let's get you two inside the cabin before you freeze to death," I insisted, "Are you alright, Charles?"

All he did was bob his head up and down affirmatively, his teeth chattering a bit from the bitter cold which was only intensified from being so wet.

I turned my attention to the other man, the mutant, "How about you, are you okay Mister?" my question trailing off as I wasn't sure what to address the stranger by.

He looked at me, his eyes a blue that was colder than the frigid air, "Erik. I'm Erik."


	5. Paper Planes

**A/N: Hi, everyone! I would like to start off by thanking my new Beta, Valkyrie-Pleasant for working her magic on this chapter. Also, thanks again to all that have read so far. I'm kind of dumbfounded with how many hits/alerts/favorites this story has got so far. :D**

**Please keep reading/review! Feedback means the world to an author!**

**Enjoy the chapter!  
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><p>The trip back to the Coast Guard base was mostly silent. My boss, Mr. Garber stayed up on deck with the crew while Moira and I accompanied the boys in the lower cabin. The men kept quiet, no doubt using their energy to reheat their bodies. Moira had fetched more blankets for them so they were able to cover their whole bodies and dry off a bit quicker while I retrieved some hot beverages for them from the tiny kitchenette in the area.<p>

Moira seemed to pay more attention to Charles, always shifting her eyes over to him and, in return he seemed to keep a lot of his focus on her. Undoubtedly they were communicating via Charles' telepathic powers. Not trying to seem snoopy, I let my eyes drift around the room. Every once in a while I would casually glance at the man we had rescued, Erik. His gaze never met mine, in fact his eyes never shifted at all; he barely even blinked. It wouldn't take a specialist to see that he was extremely concentrated on his thoughts.

I absentmindedly took the time to observe his features, initially captured by his icy blue eyes. His face was rather angular; a strong, square jaw along with high cheekbones. His hair was brown and a tad messy, but I was sure that the underwater adventure was to blame. There was visible stubble on his chin and cheeks, but it appeared more masculine than scruffy. His body was quite lean, but it didn't look scrawny or sickly. All in all, he was a rather attractive man.

I quickly looked away and bit my bottom lip, trying not to get too distracted by the man. I knew that forming any sort of attachment would only get in the way and cause problems in the long run. _No, _I mentally scolded myself; _I mustn't let the heart complicate things. _

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><p>We arrived back to the base, safe and sound. Raven was right at the docks, waiting for us as if she hadn't seen us in years. When she got a closer look at Charles, she frowned but rushed to hug him, despite the fact that he was still a bit damp. It was then, as the rest of us climbed off the boat, that she noticed the stranger we had picked up on our voyage. "Who's that?" She whispered, though quite audibly, to Charles.<p>

Erik didn't even bother to look up; he just kept walking towards the building, head lowered and eyes watching his step. Moira and I grouped up with Charles and Raven, staring off in Erik's direction before he disappeared inside the facility.

"That's Erik," Charles explained to Raven, "He was after Shaw as well and he's a mutant."

"Awesome," was Raven's bubbly response.

We headed towards the base together and met up with Garber who had beaten us inside. "Alright, so how 'bout you get changed out of those wet clothes, Charles," Garber instructed, "And if you want, Mia and Moira, you can get dressed back into your regular clothes. After that we can get on our way back to Virginia."

"Is Erik coming with us?" Raven questioned.

Charles nodded, "I think he'll do whatever it takes to find Shaw. Right now I think we're his best chance." I nodded my head, knowing the feeling.

"Apparently he was staying at a small Inn about 5 miles west of here. One of the staff offered to go pick up his things while he cleaned himself up. I'm sure by the time the rest of you are ready to go, he will be too," Garber informed us.

With that, I broke off from the rest of the group, making my way to a tiny locker which my things had been secured in. Outfit and purse in tow, I headed to the women's change room and locked myself in a private stall, slipping off my spy-like, black ensemble and putting on my grey skirt suit that I had worn on arrival. I came out of the stall and stood before the large mirror by the sinks. I squinted and turned, scrutinizing my appearance, making sure my outfit was still clean and mostly wrinkle-free. I ran my fingers through my long locks, attempting to untangle what I could and putting any stray hairs back in their place. I gave myself one last quick once-over before exiting the change room and heading out into the foyer, which was unexpectedly empty.

Not wanting to just stand around idly, I wandered around the base. I didn't really have a direction in mind, I just made sure to keep an eye out for 'Employee Only" signs and what not. My feet took me down a white, sterile-looking hallway. On the walls were pictures of certain guards who, I would assume, were being honoured or commemorated for some brave and noble act. I allowed myself to skim over them, not recognizing any of them, before I continued on through the somewhat narrow hall.

Before long, the hall opened into a large room. It too had white walls, and while it didn't look too stale, it didn't appear that warm and cozy either. If it wasn't for the tell-tale kitchen appliances, I would wonder how much this time people actually spent in here.

"Are you looking for something in particular?" A slightly accented voice asked, startling me a bit. I looked over to see a man with bright blue eyes and a hint of a smirk on his face.

"I suppose that depends who wants to know," I turned my body to face the new addition to the mutant 'team'. He was standing next to a few cupboards, leaning coolly against one of the counters with a Styrofoam cup, steam billowing from the top, in one of his hands.

He let out a very small chuckle, "Well, judging by how you jumped when asked you, I would assume that you weren't expecting to run into me."

I shrugged, "I wasn't looking for anything or anyone in particular," I said, honestly, "But, now that I'm here I could use a cup of coffee."

Erik didn't reply to my remark, simply quirked up one of his eyebrows and slid out of the way enough so that I could reach the coffee without getting too close.

I let a small sigh escape my lips, "Normally, I don't but…. today has been a long day, and I have a feeling I won't be getting much sleep on the plane."

Erik didn't answer, just nodded his head briefly and stared out one of the windows in the room. I stirred a tiny amount of sugar into my caffeinated drink, not knowing how to carry on conversation, or even if I should.

Luckily, before the silence became too awkward, Charles poked his head through the doorway, "Erik, your belongings have been brought here, and the jet is ready to take off. Let's go."

Without needed any further instruction, Erik and I followed Charles out the building, both of us still holding onto our coffee cups. As I boarded the aircraft, I could see that the rest of our little group was already inside. I could see Garber and Moira up in the cockpit, sitting with the pilot. Raven was slumped in one of the chairs, head resting against the window. By the looks of it she was dozing off already. Charles took a seat next to her also getting comfortable, I could only imagine how exhausted he must be today; his energy no doubt zapped from using his power so much. I decided to place myself on the large sofa near the front of the cabin, while I noticed Erik took a spot by himself in the very back. I managed to fetch a blanket from the sofa opposite me, draping it over my legs. If I learned anything today, it was that it is extremely difficult to be comfortable and stay modest when wearing a tight skirt.

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><p>Lazily, I glanced over at the clock above the cockpit entrance. Only about an hour had passed since we took off. The lights were dimmed in the cabin; Raven and Charles were sound asleep. The coffee had managed to keep me awake, but I still felt weary and worn-out. Today had been an extremely eventful day. I met three new mutants, told my boss that I was one also and came within striking distance of the man that has haunted my dreams and memories for years. Definitely not your average day at the office.<p>

Next to me, there was a wide arm console in the middle of the couch. A bit earlier I had curiously opened it to find a couple random fiction books, a pack of Twinkies and a travel chess board. I took the chess set out and, closing the console, I started fiddling with the pieces. I had the Queen in between my fingers, running them over the smooth surface, my mind flooded with old recollections. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and spun my head in that direction.

"Do you play?" Erik spoke in a hushed voice.

I opened my mouth to speak, and then frowned, not entirely sure how to answer without giving too much away. Trust issues must have been hereditary. "No. Not anymore, really."

Erik raised his eyebrows inquiringly, but kept his mouth shut.

I bit my lip, deciding on whether or not I wanted to divulge any further information. _They'll probably find out sooner or later, _I realized to my dismay. "I used to play with my father."

The man beside me squinted a little, his icy orbs staring into mine. It was rather unsettling, actually. It was like he was trying to look right through me, into my past and memories.

"You're not a telepath, too are you?" I asked suspiciously.

He gave a half-grin, and shook his head, breaking the so-called staring contest we were having. "No, and that's probably for the best," he said cheekily.

I fought rolling my eyes. "Luckily for me, it wouldn't matter if you were or not." I countered.

"And why is that?"

It was my turn to play it smug, "I am invulnerable to telepaths."

He quirked his eyebrow momentarily once more before his face became blank, "Fair enough. Is that all you can do?" This time he sounded almost arrogant, challenging.

This time I actually did roll my eyes at him. I noticed he was wearing a metallic watch on his wrist and I figured it wouldn't hurt to do a little showing off to prove my point to him. I focused on his watch, drawing my eyebrows together in concentration; I hadn't used this type of power before and it took a minute to figure out how to channel the proper energy. But, sure enough, the watch lifted, Erik's arm floating up in the air with it. His mouth opened in astonishment. Presuming I had been effective, I dropped his watch and limb and decided to push a little further.

_**You were saying? **_I let the words flow to Erik's mind, smirk plastered on my face. But before he could retort telepathically, I left his mind. He glared at me for a second, no doubt angry I invaded his head; it wasn't exactly a comforting feeling.

"And I thought it would be bad having Charles inside my head," he grumbled.

I snickered quietly, remembering there were still sleeping people nearby. With a playful grin, I leaned towards him a touch, just enough to whisper, "Checkmate."


	6. I'm Not Alone

**A/N: Greetings! Sorry this took a while to come out, been one helluva week! So, I would like to once again thank everyone for reading and reviewing. At the time this chapter was published, there were over 1,200 hits to this story. I'm not sure what that's like compared to other stories, but I, for one, am thrilled beyond words. Thank you!**

**Thanks again to my ever-fabulous and smiley-loving Beta, Valkyrie-Pleasant!**

**Oh, and in case anyone has or hasn't noticed, all of the chapter titles are just random song titles that have very little to do with the story. I basically just hit shuffle on my iPod and pick a title that kinda sorta fits :P  
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**R&R Please :)**

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><p>By the time we had all arrived at Mr. Garber's division facility, the sun had risen and was shining brightly down on us, the warm rays hitting my skin felt very relaxing and cosy. The facility itself I could see was quite large, light grey stucco finished the exterior of the building and the smoothed cement driveway and walkways added an extra little touch. The building was located somewhere on the outskirts of Richmond, Virginia, which meant thatthe surrounding area was bright green grass and tall trees that were, due to the season, bare of many leaves. It was scenic, almost making you forget that you were in a secret government facility.<p>

We all followed Mr. Garber inside; he was explaining that he dealt with 'paranormal' research and security, which of course I already knew. What I didn't know, was that Shaw has been working with the Russian government the past few years.

"So were to be the CIA's new mutant division, yeah?" Charles asked somewhat casually.

"Something like that," was Garber's reply.

He led us down one of the corridors, passing some familiar faces of various security personnel wearing black suits. I had met a number of the agents that frequented this division briefly before at the CIA Headquarters. I rarely spoke more than a few words with them, simply handed off a schedule, agenda change or something to that affect. To be perfectly honest, they all kind of seemed the same to me; straight-faced, arrogant and took their job and themselves very, very seriously. _Boring, _was my initial thought. But deep down I knew that very few emotion-driven, bubbly people made it in the CIA line of work, especially if you were out in the field. I realized a while ago that you had to have a certain level of callousness to work for the government, although it took me some time to be able to admit that to myself, about myself.

Even though this was my first time actually at the facility, I knew a fair amount about the place. There were a few different areas within the main building; this included a few offices/conference rooms, a sort of campus with a number of individual rooms for staff, a kitchen and recreation room and one really large laboratory. I was sure there were some other areas, none of which were deemed important enough for a meagre assistant like me.

Right now, we were all headed to the lab, which I was rather excited to be inside for the first time. Garber was in front of our little group, with Charles and Moira listening intently to whatever he was saying and not paying attention to much else. Whereas Raven, Erik and I were bringing up the rear, somewhat distracted by our surroundings.  
>We turned down a hallway a bit narrower than the last one that had big, steel double doors at the end. "Alright, this is our laboratory. All I ask is that you try not to touch anything," Garber requested before opening door and leading us through into the giant room. The ceilings were extremely high, the walls and floor were bare cement. At one end of the room there was a massive ventilation fan in the wall, which was currently still, unmoving.<p>

Also in the room was a boy, he was tall and quite lean, with chestnut brown hair and glasses. He was young, and while most thought he was some sort of prodigy, I had a suspicion he was a mutant. As soon as we got close, I knew my hunches were right.

Before we were all introduced, the young man directed our attention to what we learned was the model of a modernized jet. "It's, uh, supersonic. The most advanced plane ever built," he told us while walking us through the room. "You should see it in real life. It's incredible."

"Hank," Garber interrupted, "These are the special new recruits I was telling you about. This is Hank McCoy, one of our most talented researchers."  
>He gave a shy smile before Charles went up and shook his hand, "How wonderful! Another mutant, already here. Why didn't you say?"<p>

Garber looked confused, "Say what?"

_That awkward moment when…_

Charles exhaled loudly, "Because you don't know," he murmured. He turned to face Hank, "I am so, so terribly sorry."

The man in black stepped slowly towards the young scientist, "Hank?"

Hank shifted nervously, "You didn't ask, so I didn't tell."

Garber looked over in my direction suddenly, "Did you know about this, Mia?"

"Um, no," I stuttered a bit, "I mean, I kind of wondered but I couldn't know for sure unless I was actually around him." I then looked passed Garber and over to McCoy, "It's nice to finally meet you in person, Hank."

He raised one of his hands, giving a small wave and a bashful smile, "Likewise."

Of course, being Mr. Garber's assistant, I knew all about Hank McCoy and had even had the pleasure of speaking with him on the phone with him a couple times. He had never come to the Headquarters thought, at least not when I was there; he was a researcher for a covert CIA division, not an agent.

This time, Raven stepped towards him, "So your mutation is, what, you're super smart?"

"I'll say, Hank here graduated from Harvard at the age of 15," Charles piped in for him.

Hank, disregarding what Charles had said, kept his eyes on Raven, "I- I wish that's all it was."

"You're among friends now, Hank, you can show off," Charles reassured him, while Moira joined the others around Hank. I stayed back and so did Erik as he leaned casually against a railing, arms crossed over his chest.

Hank seemed to think for but a moment, before he kicked off his shoes. I raised my eyebrow, curious as to what his other power might be. Hank bent down and removed his socks, revealing very peculiar feet. I squinted and leaned forward a bit to get a better look. They were quite large, and almost looked like hands. The toes were long and appeared very dexterous, able to move flexibly and individually. My eyes grew wide and I inhaled sharply, immediately looking down at my feet. They still looked normal, tucked securely in my stilettos. Luckily for me, I only seem to output my the abilities I absorb when I consciously try to channel them. I sighed in relief, which seemed to catch the attention of Erik as he grinned smugly and chuckled a bit. I shot him a dangerous glare; a wise person never mocks someone who's overtired. _Maybe showing him my mutation last night wasn't the greatest idea..._

I peered once again to Hank's direction, every seemed quite enthralled with his mutation and even I had to admit it was rather intriguing. He timidly ushered everyone off to off to the side a bit then quickly flipped up and grabbed hold of the model plane with his feet, suspending him upside down. There were a number of gasps throughout the group, including one from me as I took a couple steps towards Hank, amazed by his capabilities. Even Erik seemed a bit more interested now, although Raven seemed the most interested. I rolled my eyes at her, hoping no one would notice, and very happy I no longer had the heart of a teenage girl.

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><p>We didn't stay in the lab much longer; Hank insisted that he had work that he needed to get done. So, Garber decided to show us the living quarters of the facility. Once we got to that part of the building the décor changed noticeably. The walls were still mostly white and neutral but there were splashes of funky colours here and there. The furniture was more trendy and modern and in the rec room there were several entertainment amenities, such as a pinball machine and a stereo. We walked on through down a hallway off the main area in the wing, there were several doors on both sides and I assumed that these were the bedrooms.<p>

"Alright so, thankfully, we have enough living space here for all of you to have separate rooms. Most of our security staff don't stay here for more than 12 hours a shift and currently Hank is the only researcher working this week. So you have this area mostly to yourselves," My boss revealed, I'm sure to all of our satisfaction.

Everyone went off to claim their own room, but before I could, Mr. Garber stopped me and Moira. "Your rooms are just at the front here. I called two of the agents here last night to retrieve a few changes of clothes for you and some other conveniences until you're able to go back to your own homes. In the meantime, I have some business to attend to back at Headquarters, and I trust I can leave you two in charge," he directed, eyes moving back and forth between us as we both echoed affirmative answers. He then lifted the lapel of his suit jacket, dug his hand in the inside pocket and produced what looked like 2 key cards. "Here," he said handing one to each of us, "These will give you access to the entire building. It's not that I don't trust the others, but since you two already work for the Central Intelligence Agency, I feel like I can permit you to have clearance to the whole facility, especially since I'll be gone 'til tomorrow morning." Again we both nodded, accepting the responsibility at hand.

With that he left the two of us, no doubt making his way to the building's exit.

I smiled genuinely at Moira before I excused myself and went into my new room. The area of the room itself was pretty plain. The walls were a cream colour and the furniture was made from a dark wood, the fabrics and accents a light green. As promised, there were some articles of clothing folded neatly on top of the bed. Before examining them more closely, I concluded that taking a shower would be a better priority right now. Fortunately, there was an en-suite in my room. I locked my bedroom door, ensuring nobody else would come in while I showered. _Unless of course Erik is more of a pervert than I guessed, _I thought, then shaking the idea out of my head.

I entered the bathroom, the colour scheme similar as to the one in the actual bedroom. Cream walls and tile with a few green towels hanging on a rack beside the shower stall. I slid open the door to the shower and twisted the knobs, turning the water on. I closed the door and undressed, waiting for the water to get to the right temperature. Putting my old clothes in a hamper by the sink, I hopped in the shower, the warm water soothing my tired body. The body wash, shampoo and conditioner were generic, but I was still thankful to feel fresh and clean. I took my time in the shower, stepping out only after I felt completely relaxed. And when I did get out, instead of getting myself ready, I dried off as much as I could, slipped on a robe and crawled into the queen-sized bed; a nap being the only thing I really wanted at the moment. Not long after I snuggled under the blankets, I felt my eyelids begin to get heavy and moments later I was fast asleep.

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><p>When I woke up, I tried to keep my eyes closed before I groggily decided it was time to get up. Begrudgingly, I threw the covers off and sauntered into the bathroom. I rubbed my eyes and looked in the mirror, my hair was a mess. <em>That's what you get for going to sleep with wet hair, <em>I reminded myself.

I opened one of the drawers under the sink and to my surprise and delight found a curling iron and some makeup. Plugging in the curling iron, waiting for it to heat up, I went back into the bedroom and took a better look at the clothes provided for me; a black turtleneck and black, wide-legged pants. A little boring, but I guess that's what happens when men pick out clothes. I sighed and got dressed, noting that the outfit fit rather well. I wasn't too surprised though, working for a government agency did mean that they had your weight, height and all those fun things on file.

When I was dressed and back in the bathroom, I didn't spend all that much time on my hair and makeup; after all I would be trying to sleep again later tonight so there was no point in getting too dolled up. I simply made sure I looked presentable and then ventured out of my room.

I wandered out into the den to find it empty, but when I looked out the window I could see it was very dark outside. _Way to oversleep, _I sighed.

Then I got an idea. I meandered to the South wing of the facility, where the offices and whatnot were located. All the doors were closed, and the halls were mostly vacant except for the occasional security guard here and there. I came to what was more or less the lobby at the front of the building and glanced around. There, to my left, was the door I was seeking; the sign next to the door read '**Archives**' in bold print. Beside the door handle was a security card reader and I smiled to myself, enjoying one of the perks of working for the CIA. I swiped my key card, heard a _beep _followed by the sound of the door unlocking itself.

I marched inside the room, making sure the door locked behind me. Inside the long room, grey filing cabinets covered most of the wall space. I let out a big sigh, wondering how long it would take me to find the specific file I wanted. As I got a closer look, each drawer had a tiny label on it right above the handle, categorizing each cabinet. I investigated each one systematically until I found the one I hoped was the correct one. The label only had one letter on it: 'L'.

With a creaky groan the cabinet drawer slid open revealing hundreds of meticulously organized manila folders. I began rummaging through all of them, my fingers quickly fumbling with every one of the files. I bit my lip anxiously, having wanted to look through this file for ages but never having the privacy or opportunity to do so.

Finally, I came to one; it said 'Lockhart' on the side and wasted no time in pulling it out. I took a deep breath and flipped it open; yearning to see what was inside the rather thick file.

I started skimming down the first page, but before I could get far I heard the sound of a metal _click_, and the door unexpectedly flew open. Startled, and afraid that I was caught, I rapidly closed the file and turned around, feebly attempting to hide the folder behind my back. To my astonishment, it was Erik, amusement extremely apparent on his face.

I frowned, "What the hell are you doing?"

He smirked, his calculating eyes looking directly at mine, "I could ask you the same thing."

"Well, unlike you, I actually am allowed to be in here."

The man took a step forward, letting the door shut behind him. "Then why do you look like a child who just got caught with her hand inside the cookie jar?" He countered, his German accent making him roll his 'r's ever so slightly.

I narrowed my eyes and then looked away, not being able to come up with a witty response.

He chuckled and walked over to another file cabinet. I glimpsed back over to him and noticed he had a briefcase in his other hand, "You know, technically, I am cleared to look at most of these files. You, on the other hand, aren't."

"And tell me what were you planning on doing about it?" He looked at me almost as if he was daring me to do something.

"Nothing," I replied innocently, "I just want to know what exactly it is that you want."

He laughed as he began searching through one of the drawers, "You can want as much as you like, I'm not telling."

"You do realize that I could just find out without you having to tell me," I challenged.

He stopped what he was doing and faced me, his expression cold. Without him saying a word, I realized it would be better if I didn't overstep my boundaries. Sighing in defeat, I leaned against one of the cabinets, reopened the folder in my hands and began reading.

I peered up at him to see that he was now reading a folder; I presumed the one he had been searching for. I looked back down, and saw out of the corner of my eye that Erik was holding a file that with the name 'Sebastian Shaw.'

"Why are you so interested in Shaw?" I asked, genuinely curious. I had thought that I would be the most concerned about him here, though I doubted I would ever show it.  
>Instead of answering me right away, he placed his briefcase on top of the cabinet beside me and flicked open the locks, carefully placing the file in the case before locking it again. My eyes followed him as he walked towards the door, "You don't want to know." And with that, he opened the door and left.<p>

_Little does he know… _


	7. Turning Tables

**A/N: Hiya! A quick thanks once again to everyone that has read and reviewed. Makes me happier than seagull with a french fry. **

**Just so you know, this entire chapter is done in Erik's point of view :O (!) Are you excited? I know me and my super awesome Beta, Valkyerie-Pleasant are excited! **

**Enjoy friends! Feedback is always appreciated!**

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><p>It was a pity. Really, it was. How or why someone would want to hide what or who they are. Why one would put so much time and effort in an attempt to erase the things that made them unique and incredible.<p>

I was almost happy to interrupt Raven and Hank's little moment after overhearing what the young scientist wanted to create; an antidote for mutant appearance. It made me sick to my stomach to think about it. Especially when Raven was so eager, she may be young but her power is extraordinary and useful. But more importantly, if she can't be comfortable with who she is, no one else will accept her for who she is. I nearly felt bad for her because she is so insecure and naïve.

All these years, I thought I was the only one to be different, to have superhuman abilities. But that never once made me wish I never had them. If anything, it made me want to use them; mainly to avenge my poor mother. And now that I know there are more like me, I will make sure that one day the world knows we exist.

The first step to all of this, though, would be to find Shaw. Charles, he seems like a decent fellow, one that looks out for mutants and tries to keep peaceful whenever possible. But his agenda for locating Shaw is nowhere near as urgent and personal as mine.

No, I needed to take this into my own hands. I remembered seeing the Archives department when we got our small tour of the place. That, I figured, would be the best chance at getting information on Shaw. I just needed something, anything to give me a lead on where he might have headed in his submarine. After all, I found him once on my own before.

I gathered up my belongings in the room I was assigned earlier, which was relatively easy considering I hadn't really unpacked. When one travels as much as I have, and lived under Nazi regime like I had, you get used to packing light and never getting used to one place.

The halls were empty; no doubt everyone had either gone to bed or was off doing their own thing. My footsteps echoed down the halls, as I only barely tried to stay stealthy. As much as I hated it, I knew that it was no use overexerting myself to keep my will to myself with two telepaths in the vicinity. Well, one and a half telepaths. Mia technically isn't a telepath, I suppose.

I exhaled as I thought about the blue eyed girl, her slender frame and heart-shaped face. She was a mystery, that one. But unlike Raven, she didn't seem to be in constant need of reassurance. The woman was different, but not in a bad way.

I sighed, a frown forming on my face. I was in no way, shape or form in a state where I could even entertain the thought of romantic attractions. She was far too mellow to stand by my side while I set off to kill the man that killed the only family I had. _Yes, _I reasoned, _it could never work._

Breaking my train of thought, I spotted the Archive office ahead of me. When I neared the door, I flicked my wrist and manoeuvred the metal door lock to shift open and twisted the door handle itself. However, instead of having the room to myself, I was met with the site of a startled looking Mia hustling to hide a file folder behind her back. I couldn't help but smirk. It appeared as though I wasn't the only one that was looking for top secret information.

The surprise on her face was quickly replaced with narrowed eyes, "What the hell are you doing?"

My eyebrow quirked up, a smug expression still playing on my face, "I could ask you the same thing."

"Well, unlike you, I actually am allowed to be in here," she countered matter-of-factly.

Slightly intrigued by the situation, I took a step towards the young woman clad in black. "Then why do you look like a child who just got caught with her hand in the cookie jar?"

Instead of responding, she just sent an icy glare my way before finally looking away. I knew I won that battle but I didn't really have time for or cared to push the subject any further with her. Though, it certainly would have been interesting to know what she was hiding. _But then where would the mystery be?_

I glanced over at the filing cabinets lining the room. At the very end, I spotted one labeled 'S' and used my skills to open the drawer before I even walked over to it. My eyes were quick to skim over the various folders within the cabinet; I was used to digging for information and was particularly aware of anything related to Sebastian Shaw, or Klaus Schmidt, as I had known him by. I was able to pick out Shaw's file with ease.

"You know," my thoughts were interrupted by a feminine voice, "technically, I am cleared to look at most of these files. You on the other hand, are not."

I shook my head ever so slightly, and then turned to face her, "And tell me, what were you planning on doing about it?" I stared into her baby blue eyes, daring her to try something. I knew she wouldn't, I just wanted to see just how much fight she had in her.

"Nothing, I just want to know exactly what it is you want," she said genuinely, shrugging her shoulders.

I chuckled, amused by her curiosity that would really get her nowhere, and heard a voice in my head echo a saying that I heard countless times in the camps, _Now you know what it's like to want. _Blocking out the memories of my past I answered bluntly '"You can want as much as you like, I'm not telling."

I smirked once again, thinking I had the upper hand on the argument. Except this time she didn't back down so easily. "You do realize that I could just find out without you having to tell me," her voice was challenging and it irritated the hell out of me. No one liked having their thoughts picked through, especially when you had thoughts as dark and strategic as mine. I didn't even want to reply, knowing that if she wanted a more direct response, she could just make her way into my mind. I only scowled at her coldly, hoping for her sake that she didn't push the envelope. She let out a defeated sigh and went back to looking at the folder in her hands and I assumed she got the message.

"Why are you so interested in Shaw?" she inquired innocently, her tone not as daring as it was a moment ago.

It hit me then that she must not have searched through the depths of my mind. Though this only relieved me slightly. I opened the briefcase in my hand, not bothering to answer her and no longer entertained by our coy bickering. Placing the thick manila folder securely in the case, I promptly locked it again and made my way to the room's exit. "You don't want to know," I murmured loud enough for her to hear. And, with that, I left Mia in the room by herself.

The halls of the facility were still empty and I didn't waste any time finding the exit. I pushed my way through the metal doors. I was hit with a blast of refreshing, cool air as I stepped outside. It was breezy out but the cold didn't affect me much at all. If anything, it felt good. I knew not too far off from the buildings entrance was a car park, and being able to manipulate metal the way I could, starting the ignition without a key would be a cinch. It certainly wouldn't be the first time I've done it.

The peace of mind I felt as I departed was short-lived, however, as I heard a voice echo behind me, a masculine one with a thick British accent. "From what I know about you, I'm surprised you stayed this long."

I snorted; I didn't even see Charles who must have been lurking in one of the nearby corners. I stopped dead in my tracks, pivoting on my heels to face him, "What do you know about me?"

"Everything," was his immediate reply.

I could feel my blood starting to boil, despite the below zero temperature, "Then you'll know to stay out of my head," I sneered as I turned back and tried to be on my way, though I knew that with Charles it wouldn't be that easy.

Naturally, the new professor persisted, "I'm sorry Erik, but I've seen what Shaw did to you, I've felt your agony" his tone was sincere and empathetic; "I can help you."

I paused again, letting out a pessimistic chuckle, "I don't need your help."

"Don't kid yourself. You needed my help last night. It's not just me you're walking away from," he took a step towards me, "Here you have the chance to be part of something much bigger than yourself." I knew the words he was speaking were truthful and meant for my own good, which was the only thing that kept me from walking away. "I won't stop you from leaving," he carried on, "I could. But I won't. Shaw's got friends, you could do with some." He spoke his last few words and slowly backed away, leaving me to think about what he said.

He re-entered the facility, giving me time to think. A corner of my mouth lifted, knowing that normally I never listened to a damn thing anyone else said to me, casting aside any advice thrown my way. But this was different. Charles knew exactly what I wanted to do, what my goal was in avenging my family. And for the first time in my life, I had someone that wanted to help me without me have to torture them by removing their metal fillings or something along those lines. I honestly didn't know how to react to that, to support from someone else. It gave me an uneasy feeling. For my entire life, at least from as far back as I care to remember, I have relied on myself and myself alone to watch my back.

I grimaced, using every fibre in my body to push out the weak, emotion-driven thoughts and looked at Charles' offer objectively. _Why on earth would I turn down my best chance at finding Shaw just to be independent? _Almost begrudgingly, I made my way back to the entrance, hesitating only a little before going back inside.

_This had better be worth it…_


	8. Homecoming

No matter how much I tried, I just couldn't ignore it any longer. Rays of bright sunlight were streaming in through the blinds and hitting my face. I tried rolling over and going back to sleep but it was no use; I was awake. I groaned and sat up in the bed, flipping the sheets off of me and sauntering over to the en-suite. The cold tiled floor in the bathroom sent a shiver up my spine making me wake up just that much more. I yawned and groggily looked in the mirror, observing my tired face and messy hair, before concluding that I definitely needed a shower before I decided to venture outside the privacy of my room.

Showering took a lot longer than it normally did in the morning. I felt fatigued and I really couldn't give a rat's ass about taking my time. As far as I knew, there was no rush. Garber probably wasn't even back yet and I was confident that Moira could handle everything until I made an appearance. Besides if anything urgent were to happen I'm sure they would have woken me up a while ago. The hot water felt so good on my stressed body, completely soothing me. I could feel the steam open my pores and it made me feel increasingly refreshed.

Rejuvenated, I stepped out of the shower stall and began my usual routine of hair styling, makeup and getting ready. Since I still didn't have my own change of clothes I had to wear the same outfit as I did last night, luckily it wasn't dirty.

I glanced at the alarm clock on the night stand by my bed. It was already 10:00 am. _I forgot what it was like to sleep in, _I mused as I decided to finally leave my bed chambers. As I peeked out the door the hallway was bare but I could hear familiar voices not too far off. Inquisitively I followed the sound which led me to the sort of kitchen area within the living quarters. There, standing casually by the counter, were Moira and Charles. I considered being snoopy, but decided against it. With Charles around I could read minds so there was no point in eavesdropping. Sensing by their tones and volume of their voices, I assumed I wouldn't be interrupting anything too private anyway.

I strolled towards the two and received a warm greeting from Charles, "Mia, good morning. How are you doing this morning, dear?"

Moira, who had originally had her back to me, turned around and smiled, which I returned before replying to Charles, "I'm doing well, thanks, how are you two?"

"Very well, thank you," the male answered, before Moira jumped in.

"Mr. Garber called earlier and he will be here in about half an hour or so. Once he gets here, he said he will give us access to the car to let you and I go back to our places to get anything we need."

I grinned, happy to have some of my own things soon, "That's great."

"Oh and before I forget," Charles added, "Hank wanted to see you in his lab, I believe."

I tilted my head to the side, curious but didn't question it. Instead, I turned my attention back to Moira, "Ok, I'll meet you out front in a bit, then?"

She simply smiled and nodded while I excused myself. I wandered down the halls, hoping I remembered where exactly the lab was located in the maze of corridors. The full security staff were back this morning, mostly minding their own business, but the odd guard would smile or tip their head in acknowledgement. After a number of twists and turns, I recognized the hallway that would lead to the laboratory doors. I pushed open the large, metal doors to find Hank gazing intently into a microscope.

Slowly, I stepped towards the tall, lean researcher, "I was told you wanted to see me?"

Hank's head snapped up, surprised, "O-oh, hi Mia. Um, y-yeah I was hoping to see you," he said, stuttering.

I smiled at him, trying to put him at ease a bit, "Well, I'm here. What can I do for you?"

"Charles told me about your ability, and I think it's fascinating. I was hoping, if you don't mind, to run some tests so I can study exactly what your mutation does." He seemed so excited and passionate about his work; it was rather endearing.

"Sure, why not?" I answered, kind of intrigued by the idea of knowing more about me and my powers. "So what kind of tests do you want to run?"

He stood up from the stool he was perched on in front of the microscope, picking up a few things from a different table, and came closer to where I was standing. "For now, just a blood test to allow me to see how your cells are developing and adapting."

By now, I could see that in his hands were a needle, a tourniquet and a cotton pad. Knowing what to do, I rolled up the sleeve of my shirt and held out my left arm. He was tentative and cautious, and I would guess that he wasn't used to too much physical contact. He gently wiped a spot in the crook of elbow with the damp cotton pad, sanitizing the area. After that he wrapped the elasticized tourniquet around my upper arm, tying it tightly which effectively cut off the circulation. Slowly, he poked the sharp, metal object into my skin.

It didn't really hurt me until I heard a voice behind me, making me jerk slightly out of alarm. "Hey, what's going on?" I instantly recognized the cheery vocals of Raven. I crinkled my nose, wincing as the needle had shifted when I flinched.

"Oh, um, I was just getting a blood sample from Mia," Hank explained shyly as Raven approached us. By then Hank had filled up the vial attached to the needle and carefully slid the needle out. He had another piece of cotton in his hand, which he passed to me, "Here, put pressure on the puncture wound."

Raven glanced curiously between the both of us, and I did my best to smile at her. "So, you're going to study her mutation, too?"

_Please tell me that was not jealousy in her tone, _I thought to myself, fighting the nagging urge I had to roll my eyes. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Hank must have got the same vibe about her remark. He, on the other hand, appeared more nervous than nauseous. "Yeah, but only because my ability could potentially be tailored for military or government advantage," I jumped in, making some excuse up on the spot, "He's studying your mutation for more… _personal_ reasons," I stared right at McCoy, hoping he would go along with my little fib, "Isn't that right, Hank?"

The scientist cleared his throat anxiously, "Y-yeah, that's right. Mr. Garber wanted me to take a closer look at Mia's mutation, that's all."

She just nodded her head, still not looking terribly impressed. Not really wanting to get in the middle of whatever it was going on between them, I thought it best to take my leave. "Anyways, if you're finished, Hank, I should get going. Moira and I have to head out soon," I did my best to muster a smile and then strode out of the room, still holding the cotton to my elbow.

As soon as I was out of the room I checked the dainty watch on my wrist and noted that I actually did have to meet Moira soon. Once again I was venturing through the corridors, finally starting to feel more confident about finding my way around. As I drew closer to the foyer, I observed the inside of my elbow once more, only acutely aware of the several voices getting increasingly louder with each step. I rounded a corner without looking up, though I knew it led right to my destination.

"Has Hank found another lab rat to experiment on?" a deep, German voice echoed, sounding more amused than anything.

I gazed upwards to see Erik, Charles and Moira standing together in the front of the building. Erik had his, what I now believed to be trademarked, smirk playing on his lips and a playful look in his eyes. "Jealous?" I retorted coyly, and all I received in return was a scoff and an intensely hardened glare. _Must have touched a nerve…_

Before things got too awkward, Moira piped up, "We're just waiting for Mr. Garber to get inside, his car just pulled up onto the premises."

"Are you boys coming with us or something?" I asked the two men in the area.

Charles shook his head before answering, "No, apparently Garber has some things he would like to discuss with Erik and me about finding Shaw."

Remembering all too well the events of last night, I raised my eyebrow and turned to Moira. "Does the CIA already have a file on Shaw?" I questioned smugly, casually glancing over at Erik and trying to get a reaction. I was disappointed as Erik kept a straight face, refusing to look my way. Charles, on the other hand, had a brief flash of delight cross his features.

"Yes, he has been working with the Soviets for some time now," Moira responded, oblivious.

None of us letting her in on the joke, I made an 'ah' sound and the area went silent, but only for a moment. As if on cue, Garber made his entrance through the front doors of the facility. "Good morning, everyone," the man in the black suit greeted, "Moira, the car you'll be taking is right outside waiting for you and Mia." He handed a small set of keys to the brunette and turned his attention to the boys, "Gentlemen, won't you follow me to my office?"

With that the men filed out of the room, Charles was the only one that bid us farewell. Although if I didn't know any better I could have sworn Erik shot me a look before he disappeared behind the corridor wall. But then again that could have easily been my mind playing tricks on me.

Moira gestured for me to follow her and we made our way to the black car that was parked right outside the door. I opened the passenger door, automatically assuming that I wouldn't be driving. The interior was black leather and quite comfortable, which was fortunate seeing as the drive was over an hour. As the vehicle sped forward, I watched in silence at the trees and fields passing by, completely lost in thought. The two of us stayed quiet for some time, both occupied with our own anxieties and feelings.

It was the brunette that broke the silence first, "So did you apply to work for Mr. Garber on purpose?"

I nodded before answering, "Yeah, I would have settled for any position but working in the paranormal supervisions department was definitely my first choice," I told her honestly. "How exactly did you end up with this mission, if you don't mind me asking? It's not exactly your average CIA assignment."

Moira laughed lightly, "No, it certainly isn't. Well, originally we were just supposed to monitor a meeting in Las Vegas that some Soviet leaders were supposed to be at."

I frowned in confusion, "They met in Vegas? What kind of meeting was it?"

"The kind where young women are paid to make corrupt men feel a little less lonely for a night."

My lips formed an 'O' shape, now understanding what she meant. "Is that why you got in and Levine didn't?" I asked with a grin, which was returned.

"Yes, that would be why. There are some things that the CIA can't teach you."

I giggled, "I would certainly hope they wouldn't teach that. Could you imagine being taught how to give lap dances from Stryker or McCone?" We snickered at the thought.

For the rest of the drive, we carried on in light conversation. I rather liked Moira, especially now. She wasn't catty or moody like a lot of other girls, including Raven. Not only had she grown up, but she could hold her own in a male-driven industry; a quality I held in pretty high regard.

"Your apartment is here in Dale City, right?" Moira questioned as we arrived in the Washington suburb, "Mine is about 15 minutes away from here. How bout I drop you off and pick you up in an hour?"

I answered in agreement and gave her the brief, straightforward directions to my residence. Shortly, we pulled up outside the relatively small 3-story building. Saying goodbye to Moira, I hopped out of the car and walked towards the beige, stuccoed structure. I didn't look back but I could hear the roaring of the engine as the vehicle pulled away and off into the distance. Fishing out the keys from my bag, I unlocked the door to the building and ascended only one set of stair to the floor my flat was on. It was as I entered my place that I realized I had no idea how long I was going to be gone, thus not knowing how long to pack for. And, sadly, I was never a very light packer to begin with.

I sighed. _Time to pack up my life…_

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><p><strong>AN: Surprise! Author's Note at the bottom for once! That's because there's not too much to say here. Other than the fact that I have never been to Virginia and so if I got any geographical bits wrong, I apologize. Thank you so much again for reading, every time I check my inbox and see another alert, favorite or review my heart skips a beat. And I've been receiving so many, I hope it doesn't become a medical issue. :****P**

**Of course, a shout out to my marvelous Beta, Valkyrie-Pleasant who has been of more and more assistance everyday. The story wouldn't be as good if it weren't for her!  
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**Enjoy everyone, and buckle up! Cause things are going to slowly start getting more interesting. ;D**


	9. Maps

**A/N: Hi! I am so sorry I took so long to update! Life has been just a little crazy lately. But I promise you I am not dead, nor have I given up on this story! I hope you enjoy, and don't hate me fore taking forever. Also, a big thanks to everyone who has reviewed and a big, big thanks to my friend and Beta, Valkyrie-Pleasant! Cheers!  
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><p>When Moira and I arrived back at the facility a few hours had passed but it was still bright and sunny outside despite the chilly air. As the sleek black car pulled up in front of the building's entrance a few men appeared from the doors and walked in the direction of the now stopped vehicle. Opening the door, I swung my legs out and firmly planted my Mary Jane heels on the concrete, steadying myself as I exited the car. The men came to the car and promptly retrieved the baggage Moira and I had brought back with us as Mr. Garber watchedsupervised.

"Oh, good you're back," Garber explained as I was busy straightening out my brown, tweed coat, "These fellas are just going to place your things in your rooms, because I need the two of you elsewhere at the moment." He turned to look to me, "Mia, if you go straight down this hallway you'll come to a door that leads out back. Hank is waiting to take you and the other mutants to a sort of transmitter he's been working on."

I simply nodded and headed down the corridor as I saw Moira trailing behind Garber, going in a different direction than me. The temperature inside the building was considerably more comfortably warm than the brisk air outside and so as I was walking I undid the buttons of my coat, though keeping it on, but opening it just enough to reveal the structured, raspberry-coloured dress I was wearing underneath. Sure enough, as I continued my journey down the hall Charles, Raven and Erik came into view.

Charles was the first to speak, "Wonderful, you're here! Hank is already in the installation and is expecting us. Shall we?"

I agreed politely and began following Charles towards the exit. Standing off to the side was Erik, effortlessly opening the metal door and holding it for us to walk through. _So he does have manners, _I mused, incidentally catching his eye before I left the building. His face was expressionless, but I noticed a sparkle of mischief in his icy eyes, though I had no idea why.

As I turned my attention back outside to our destination, I saw for the first time the large structure in the middle of the yard. It looked like a giant golf ball held up by some sturdy metal posts. With my curiosity now piqued I quickened my step to keep up with rest. When we got to the bottom of the structure I could see a metallic spiral staircase which I assumed led to the entrance. Charles, naturally, was the first to venture up the stairs with Raven chasing eagerly behind. I, on the other hand, was having some minor difficulty getting up the stairs, seeing as the steps were merely steel grating and I was wearing stilettos. As I tried balancing and manoeuvring up the steps so as to not let my heel fall through the holes I heard a low, deep chuckle behind me. I instantly recognized the masculine voice, but still whipped my head around to face him and directed a dangerous glare at him. For the second time in the last few minutes, our eyes locked and once again he looked more amused than anything. Not really wanting to get in some kind of argument, I simply mumbled a 'shut up' and hurried as best I could up the stairs.

By the time I reached the top, Charles had already figured out how to open the latch that led into the actual installation and Hank was indeed waiting for us inside. "I, uh, call it Cerebro," came Hank's voice.

Charles gave an astonished laugh, "Isn't that Spanish for 'brain?'"

"Yes," Hank confirmed as we gathered around the odd looking device in the middle, "Okay, so the electrodes connect Charles to the transmitter on the roof and, when he picks up a mutant, his brain sends a signal through a relay. And then the coordinates of their location are printed out here." He walked over to an electronic graph-like thing.

Of course, Raven was right beside him, looking awe-struck, "You designed this?"

By this time I had kind of lost focus of what Hank was saying and was more attentive to the actual device. It almost looked like something you would see out of a sci-fi horror film. All sorts of neon coloured tubes were connected to a plastic helmet type thing. Charles also seemed more interested in the machinery and didn't wait for Hank's instructions as he climbed into the chair below it and placed the device over his head.

Now it was Erik who joined us, "What an adorable lab rat you make, Charles."

Charles didn't seem as humoured by the remark, "Don't spoil this for me, Erik."

"I've been a lab rat, I know one when I see one," Erik continued to point out, making me raise my eyebrow in suspicion. I had never actually gone inside his mind and picked through his memories so I really had no idea what he was referring to. I wanted to find out though, but the human way, if that ever even be possible.

"Ok, right," Hank interjected as he hooked Charles up to the device properly, "Are you sure we can't shave your hair?"

"Don't touch my hair," was Charles firm reply. I had to stifle a laugh; _Men are more protective of their hair than women…_

Once Hank had Charles situated, he went over to some of the computer equipment and flipped some switches, turned some dials. By now, we had all crowded around Charles and the machine on his head. The lights in the room dimmed and the neon blue got brighter. I could read the discomfort on the professor's features as the transmitter warmed up. I started feeling anxious, waiting for something to happen. Then suddenly, the centre of the room became bright and Charles yelped, bracing himself on the hand rail. His breathing became hoarse and heavy, making all of us concerned that it may somehow be hurting him. All of us except Hank that was; he was hunched over the computer.

After a moment Charles started looking less uncomfortable and more amazed. I gave a small sigh of relief just as Hank looked up excitedly from the machines, "It's working!"

Intrigued, I stepped towards the printer that was typing down geographical coordinates, staring at it in awe. Within no time, there was a long list of other mutants, most of which looked nearby. I could feel a presence to my right and glanced over to see Erik, somewhat to my surprise.

"Amazing isn't it?" I observed in a lowered voice. I really didn't expect an answer, but again I was taken aback.

"All these years I thought I was the only one," Erik admitted quietly and what he said made think. He always came off so guarded, so calloused. I knew from personal experience that when someone put a wall up, it was because they were doing their best to defend a vulnerable and wounded inside. I doubted Erik would ever show me, or anyone for that matter, that side of him. And I wasn't the type of person that liked using telepathy to figure out what makes people tick. I maybe have mutant abilities, but I am still human. _I think…_

"Mutants have been around for longer than you think," I told him, though the words were barely loud enough to hear. I could tell, by the way he turned his head to look at me directly with an inquisitive expression, that he had heard what I said. I met his gaze briefly before turning away, worried I already revealed too much. Like I said, I'm like the patron saint of keeping private. Telling him about my past and family history would only complicate things right now.

Luckily for me, Charles interrupted before Erik could drill me with questions or make some sarcastic remark. I was too preoccupied to notice that Charles had stepped out of 'Cerebro' and was almost hovering over Erik and me. "Erik, why don't you and I go to one or two of these locations tonight? Look," he suggested, pointing to one of the localities on the white piece of paper, "This one is right in DC."

I squinted to get a closer look at the location, the address not familiar at all. For some reason I wanted to be a part of the recruitment process. Maybe it was because I knew there indeed was strength in numbers; the more mutants to stop Shaw, the better. Or perhaps it was so I wouldn't have to stay here with Hank and Raven. I cringed at the thought. Hank was lovely, but Raven… She was a nice girl, I suppose. She just got on my nerves. Also I think part of me was hoping that Charles would have some extra insight on my abilities; after all he was a professor that specialized in genetic mutation. And Erik? Well. He certainly wasn't the reason I wanted to go…

Before Erik and Charles could leave, I decided I should pipe up after all, "Hey, Charles?"

He stopped and looked at me amicably, "Yes, Mia."

"Can I, um, come with you guys?" I was somewhat nervous to ask, I didn't want to overstep any boundaries. Charles seemed surprised by the request and, out of the corner of my eye; I could see Erik also looking at me now with nothing more than a blank expression. Feeling like I should explain myself before the men dismissed the idea, I continued, "I mean, I think I might be able to help to some extent at least. Besides, I'm CIA and a mutant. I'm sure that will put Garber's mind more at ease."

I could tell when I said that last sentence that Charles was now more open to the idea. Erik, on the other hand, was not as he jumped in before Professor Xavier could. "Garber knows we don't want suits involved. You would only complicate things."

Though unexpectedly stung by his last words, I raised my eyebrow playfully, "I think I am more than just a suit." My rebuttal earned only a snort from the German.

"Mia, why don't you come with us tomorrow? Erik and I will go to a couple of these locations ourselves to get the feel of it first," Charles kindly offered the compromise. I merely gave a simple agreeing answer, though I could swear I saw Erik roll his eyes when I did. "In the meantime, why don't you give Cerebro a shot?" Charles suggested.

"No!" I blurted out without thinking of the suspicious way that would come across. I swallowed, trying to calm my voice, "I mean, no thanks." I mentally slapped myself for sounding so ridiculous.

Charles gave me a confused look, "You'll have telepathic powers for a while when I leave, right? You could help find mutants here. The machine isn't as frightening as it looks."

_I'm not worried about the machine or finding mutants, I'm worried about who might find me, _I wanted to tell him. But that would really only compromise the defensive wall I've built over the years protecting my past and vulnerabilities. "I'm nowhere near as practiced as you and besides, I think Garber wanted to see me after I saw Hank's installation." I replied quickly. It wasn't the best excuse I had ever created but it would have to do. I had suspected that Charles would ask me about my telepathy but I thought I had more time to think of a convincing lie. _Oh well..._ If I couldn't find a long term solution to avoiding the installation now, a short term one would have to do. "Maybe I could try it another day?" I added, trying to sound complying whilst also trying to not commit to anything.

Charles frowned, as I was sure he could tell that there was more to my excuse than I was willing to let on. But instead of fighting it he nodded and he and Erik opened the latch to the exit. Raven and Hank soon followed, leaving me to rush after them before I was locked in with that now daunting transmitting device. I sighed as I wandered behind the rest, rubbing my temples gently with my fingers. _What on earth have I got myself into…._


End file.
